WO2002093071A1

WO2002093071A1 - A fantasy lamp comprising a transparent, hollow chamber containing a liquid

Info

Publication number: WO2002093071A1
Application number: PCT/IB2001/000828
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alfred Ewald
Original assignee: Cyi, Inc.
Priority date: 2000-01-24
Filing date: 2001-04-18
Publication date: 2002-11-21
Also published as: DE10002869C1

Abstract

A fantasy lamp comprising a narrow, transparent hollow chamber (15) which contains at least two immiscible liquids and the back of which can be illuminated, wherein the hollow chamber comprises wall sections (13, 14) which are disposed at a slight distance from each other and between which a film (22) is disposed, wherein the hollow chamber (14) can be rotated about a substantially horizontal axis (10) when the wall sections are aligned substantially vertically, and at least one of the liquids is coloured. In a fantasy lamp such as this, provision is made for the wall sections (13, 14) to be of curved construction and parallel, and for the film (22) to be inserted in the hollow chamber (15), wherein the film (22) is planar before it is inserted between the wall sections (13, 14). A fantasy lamp such as this can be manufactured as a mass-produced product in an economically acceptable manner.

Description

Fantasy lamp with a translucent hollow chamber containing liquids

Description

Various lights are known in which aesthetic effects are created by two immiscible liquids, at least one liquid being colored.

The present invention is concerned exclusively with the type of such fantasy lights in which the effects are achieved in a very narrow hollow chamber filled with liquids. Here, several hollow chambers can be arranged side by side as well as one behind the other. The respective hollow chamber is preferably circular, whereby it rotates slowly in an essentially vertical arrangement, in particular around its center.

Particularly narrow hollow chambers consist of the prior ^'technic of plane-parallel glass or plastic plates in which the plates forming wandungs- inside spacing of about 0.5 mm have to 2.0.

In one of these lights, glass plates are preferably arranged at a particularly small distance from one another, so that the immiscible liquids do not separate quickly due to their different densities, zμ layers with horizontal interfaces, during the slow rotational movement of the hollow chamber disc, as a result of which aesthetic stimuli do not arise.

Such hollow chamber disks with diameters of generally up to 20 cm are brought to slow rotation in particular in front of projector lamps, the resulting flow diagram of "liquid bubbles" of different shapes and colors being projected onto surfaces in the room and thus indirectly representing the flow process. The technique of manufacturing such hollow chamber disks is complex is projected and so an indirect mapping of the flow process takes place.

The technique of manufacturing such hollow chamber disks is complex and requires a lot of manual work. The glass plates have to be cut mechanically and glued on the edge while maintaining certain distances. The filling of the liquids here is very time-consuming since they only flow slowly into the very narrow cavity. In addition, a mostly metallic part must be glued in the middle of one of the sides of such hollow chamber disks so that the hollow chamber disk can be connected to a motor axis. The hollow chamber panes are thus stored centrally.

Overall, this design is not suitable for inexpensive mass production, nor for hollow chamber washers with a larger diameter, which allows the viewer to directly experience the flow process - i.e. without projecting onto surfaces.

In another variant (brochure "DECOFLUID / Form + Farbe" from Decofluid Form + Farbe GmbH, D-7470 Albstadt 2, published 1991), which is designed according to the preamble of claim 1, the hollow chambers consist of plane-parallel, translucent plastic plates about 75 cm in diameter. These are electrically illuminated on the white light-scattering back and offer the viewer a direct flow diagram of immiscible, differently colored liquids. The larger diameter and, in particular, the much greater flexibility with plastic plates compared to glass plates, requires other measures in order to avoid separating the liquids into almost horizontal panes.

These consist in that a plastic film is inserted into the space between the plates, which has kinks and in which punched-out spaces for spacers are provided. The mutually opposite and also overlapping crease lines touch the inner walls of the plastic plates during the slow rotation and thus prevent the liquids from separating quickly.

The prerequisite for this, however, is that, with these larger diameters, the two wall-forming plates require additional plastic parts in the manner of the spacers, which keep the distance between the plates constant as far as possible. This prevents the hollow chamber from bulging due to the static pressure of the liquids. The disadvantage of this variant with plane-parallel plastic plates is that the wall thickness of the plates must be kept relatively large, since the walls would bulge outward too much when using spacers in the lower areas due to the static pressure of the liquids, the kinks of the inserted film no longer touch the surfaces of the plates, with the result that the liquids are no longer substantially taken up when the hollow chamber disc rotates. That would mean a significant reduction in the aesthetic appeal of the flow process. In addition, such hollow chamber panes are very heavy overall. This requires an aesthetically disadvantageous central hole in the middle, which in turn is designed with more or less wide perforated disks made of plastic for liquid-tight sealing. This creates a center that does not show the colored liquids. The same applies to the areas of the spacers.

Furthermore, a relatively heavy motor is required for these heavy hollow chamber panes and a relatively heavy chassis is required for everything together, including a decorative or cover frame.

Another significant disadvantage is that here too the manufacture of the hollow chamber is associated with a great deal of manual work since, owing to the large, necessary wall thickness of the plastic plates (2 mm and more), no leak-proof welding process can be used. It has to be glued: central perforated disc, spacer and an outer ring, which also keeps the plates at a distance and at the same time limits the hollow chamber to the outside. Furthermore, the production of the inserted foils with the kinks is complex. It also requires a lot of manual work with regard to the generation of the kinks or can only be carried out mechanically with great effort.

Overall, fantasy lights made in this way are so expensive that they are not suitable for inexpensive mass production.

The invention has set itself the task of developing a fantasy lamp according to the preamble of claim 1 so that it can be mass-produced in an economically justifiable manner.

The task is solved by a fantasy lamp with the characteristics It is therefore essential in the invention that the wall sections are curved and rectified and the film is inserted into the hollow chamber, being flat between the wall sections before insertion. It is therefore not necessary to fix the film in the hollow chamber by means of separate fastening elements.

The invention is initially based on the knowledge that, with the same wall thickness, spherical, elliptical (hereinafter referred to collectively as spherical shells or spherical shell-shaped or curved) hollow bodies are more dimensionally stable or stiffer than those in which the wall is flat or even.

For this reason, flat, flat surfaces are used in favor of arched ones; the wall sections of the hollow chamber, in particular the disk-shaped hollow chamber, are therefore in particular in the form of spherical shells. This takes place in particular in such a way that the plastic plates or foils, which are available in many designs and qualities, are obtained by means of thermal deformation (deep-drawing) spherical shell structure. However, it is also contemplated to produce these spherical shell-shaped walls by means of plastic injection molding.

The rear wall part is expediently made from a white translucent plastic, the translucency of which is set in such a way that as much light as possible is let through. Not so much, however, that lamp parts, filaments etc. impair the visual impression. The front wall part is crystal clear. Both wall parts or wall sections are expediently made of the same type of plastic.

So that a hollow body can be produced from two wall parts which have the wall sections, a circumferential, spacing edge is formed in at least one of the wall parts in such a way that when the two halves are joined together, the desired distance results in the interior of the hollow chamber. The spherical shell shape has a number of advantages for the new fantasy lamp, such as:

Example of a smaller amount of plastic per visible area, resulting in a smaller, less expensive motor; an inexpensive, because lighter chassis; a much improved. Aesthetics, since the field of vision for the viewer is not impaired by a central perforated disc or by spacers. The viewer sees an area covered by nothing, especially a circular one Area that only shows the liquid effects up to the edge of the hollow chamber pane.

An essential feature of the invention is the novel structuring of the interior of the hollow chamber or hollow-chamber pane.

Instead of a film that has to be provided with kinks, a completely flat plastic film is used, except for the punching out of the outer boundary. For example, a preferably circular, relatively thin film with a diameter that is slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the hollow chamber is placed in the center of the latter. When the two wall halves are joined together, the flat film is forced to adapt to the curvature of the spherical shell-shaped walls, as a result of which it curls more and more towards the edge. The wave crests lie alternately in the hollow chamber on the surfaces of the two halves. This creates small, flat, funnel-shaped cavities that are suitable for taking the liquids upwards when the hollow chamber disc rotates - thus preventing the liquids from being separated horizontally. It has been shown that the resulting flow diagram is significantly more attractive than with all the other effects mentioned above in fantasy luminaires with narrow hollow chambers. Because the funnel-shaped cavities tapering towards the center form petal-like shapes.

In order to create a hollow chamber from the prefabricated wall parts, these parts have to be be connected liquid-tight in the edge area. According to the current state of technology, there are two main methods for this: gluing and welding.

The hood of the fantasy lamp can be designed in different ways. One embodiment provides that, if one leaves the plastic film out of consideration, it is formed in two parts. One part represents the one wall part which is essentially formed by the front wall section. The other part is formed by the rear wall section and the adjoining, thus radially outer region of the hub, so that this second part forms the cavity for receiving the drive and the lamps. An advantageous design, in particular from the manufacturing and cost aspects, provides that the hood is designed in three parts. With this design they are individual wall parts, which are essentially formed by the front and rear wall sections, preferably combined to form a structural unit which forms the cavity and thus contains the film and the liquids. The wall parts are connected to one another at their circumferential radially outer edge, for example glued or welded. The third part of the hood thus only needs to be designed as a ring element to which the unit is connected, for example by welding or gluing. This third component of the hood has the axial depth to accommodate the drive and the lamps.

To create the aesthetic effects of the liquids, the hollow chamber, which is illuminated from behind, has to be set into a slow rotating movement. This is advantageously not done by hand, but by means of a motor drive.

For a motorized rotary movement, the rear wall part is expediently first pulled up a few millimeters upwards and then a few centimeters from the center on a circumferential, groove-like depression, in order to finally merge into a hollow-cylindrical ring of several centimeters wide. In this way, the hollow chamber takes the form of a hood. The resulting open cavity at the rear has two main functions. In the edge area at the very front there is space for drive-related wheels, rollers or similar. The central area behind the actual liquid-filled hollow chamber is required for the space required by the incandescent lamps, neon tubes or similar (hereinafter referred to as lamps).

The rotary motion of the hollow-chamber disc is now expediently generated in such a way that, in the vicinity of the edge, an engine with a gear is attached to a chassis made of metal or plastic, which is generally somewhat smaller in size than the hood, and preferably in the upper area , The end axis of this drive unit is provided with a wheel, a roller, a gearwheel or similar, which engages in a complementary structure which is circumferential and at the same time at the front approximately at the level of the liquid space. It is therefore a role on the end axis of the engine and an annular structure on the inside of the cylindrical edge area. The

Rotation of the entire hood is now achieved by the latter is hooked onto the drive element of the motor.

The above-mentioned ring-shaped or adequate structure can to some extent also be created during the thermal shaping of the rear half of the chamber. However, it has also proven useful to specify the adequate structure with a separate part. In the case of a drive roller, for example, a ring made of metal or plastic, which is pressed into a groove formed in the cylindrical edge area.

The advantage of this design over those with central fastening of the hollow chamber panes, in addition to the aesthetic improvements already mentioned, is also that the hood can be removed with one hand, ie without the use of tools. This makes it easy to replace burnt-out lamps.

In general, however, only one wheel, roller, gear or similar will not be sufficient for a commercial article according to the present patent application that meets all requirements. To stabilize against lateral and pendulum movements of the hood, one or more guide elements are also used. In the form of one or two more roles. So that the hood can be easily removed by the user when changing the lamp, it is particularly intended to design a guide element for the hood so that it is not fastened to the chassis on a rigid axis. Instead, the axis is pressed, for example, by a spring or by gravity of the guide element against the guide rail rotating in the hood or the like. With a handle on the back of the chassis, this guide element can be released from the guide rail by lever action. The entire hood can then be removed.

For the sake of completeness, it should also be mentioned that in the case of electrical fluoroscopy of the hollow chamber disc, the chassis also has the task of accommodating lamps, sockets and electrical wires in the case of electrically illuminated versions, and also a suspension element for the preferred attachment to vertical surfaces, such as walls, and possibly Elements that make it possible to set the best possible distance from these surfaces.

However, it is also contemplated to design such a fantasy lamp not only for attachment to a vertical surface, but also in the form of a stand for installation on a horizontal surface, such as Table tops.

A further development of the invention provides not only to use one hollow chamber per lamp as described above, but also to arrange more than one next to or behind one another.

The invention is also not limited to using two immiscible liquids, one of which is colored. Several liquids can also be provided, all of which can also be colored.

Further features of the invention are shown in the description of the figures and in the figures themselves, it being noted that all features and combinations of individual features are essential to the invention.

In the figures, the invention is shown on the basis of a basic embodiment, taking various modifications into account, without being limited thereto. It shows in a schematic representation:

FIG. 1 shows a front view of the fantasy lamp,

2 shows a section through the fantasy lamp along the line II-II in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 shows a view of the shell of the fantasy lamp with an illustrated flow diagram with a horizontally arranged stationary bowl, FIG. 4 shows an enlarged section through the bowl in an inner region of the cavity the line IV-IV in Figure 3,

5 shows an enlarged section through the shell in an outer region of the cavity along the line V-V in FIG. 3,

Figure 6 is a front view of the shell, Figure 7 is a front view of the connectable to the shell

Cover plate, Figure 8 is a front view of between the cover plate and the

Insertable film, FIG. 9 shows a stand version of a hanging fantasy lamp, only the stand elements and the drive for the fantasy lamp being shown, 10 shows an embodiment of the fantasy lamp in which the chassis receiving the drive is suspended, the further parts of the fantasy lamp, as shown in FIG. 9, not being shown, and FIG. 11 shows a modified embodiment of the fantasy lamp in a sectional view according to FIG. 2.

The fantasy lamp according to the invention has a chassis 1 designed as a plate, which is either oriented vertically, as shown in the illustration in FIG. 9, in a horizontal floor stand 2 or, as shown in FIG. 10, is suspended in the region of an upper recess 3. The chassis 1 is preferably designed as a circular plate. In its upper area, this receives a geared motor block 4, which is provided with an electrical connection, the block 4 being positioned at a distance from the apex of the chassis, as shown in FIG. 1. An output shaft 5 of the block 4 oriented perpendicular to the plate-shaped chassis 1 rotatably receives a drive disk 6, which is provided with a circumferential groove 7. In the central area, the chassis 1 is provided with three lamps 8 arranged in a star shape on the side of the geared motor block 4.

A rotationally symmetrical hood 9, which covers the geared motor block 4, the lamps 8 and the chassis 1 in its attached position, can be set into a slow rotary movement about its axis 10 by means of the drive. The hood 9 has a rear wall part 11, thus facing the lamps 8, and a front wall part 12. The two wall parts 11 and 12 have parallel wall sections 13 and 14, which are curved away from the lamps 8 and form a narrow hollow chamber 15 between them. The essentially constant distance between the wall sections 13 and 14 is approximately 0.5 to 2.0 mm. The hollow chamber 15 represents the liquid space in the fantasy lamp. The rear wall part 11 consists of a white, translucent, translucent plastic, the front wall part 12 is made of a crystal clear

Plastic formed. A peripheral edge 16 of the circular wall part 12 is formed in the manner of a recess and glued or welded to the wall part 11. Radially outside the adhesive or weld seam, the wall part 11 is provided with an outwardly directed, circumferential bulge 17 which passes through the drive pulley 6 when the hood 9 is positioned. The horizontal one The peripheral edge area 18 of the wall part 11 is provided on the inside in the area of the transition to the bulge 17 with a peripheral guide rail which rests on the drive disk 6. In order to guide the hood in a defined manner with respect to the chassis 1, a further, but non-drivable disk 20 is rotatably mounted in the chassis 1 mirror-symmetrically to the output shaft 5, with respect to the recess 3 for hanging the chassis 1, and one in a lower region of the chassis further disc 21 rotatably mounted, with each of which the guide rail 19 cooperates. For example, the disc 20 can be attached to the rear of the chassis 1 out of engagement with the guide rail 19 by means of a handle, not shown, so that the hood 9 can be detached from the chassis 1 or placed thereon.

It is particularly important that a transparent, relatively thin plastic film 22 is inserted into the hollow chamber 15 formed between the wall sections 12 and 13. Based on the circular design of the wall sections 13 and 14 of the wall parts 11 and 12, this film 22 - before being placed between the wall sections 13 and 14 - is completely flat and has a diameter which is slightly less than the inside diameter of the hollow chamber 15 Foil 22 is placed in the middle of the hollow chamber. When the two wall parts 11 and 12 are joined together, the flat film 22 is forced to adapt to the curvature of the spherical shell-shaped wall sections 13 and 14, as a result of which it curls more and more towards the edge 23. The wave crests 24 and in this respect reference is made to the illustration in FIGS. 3 to 5, are thereby alternately in contact with the surfaces of the two wall sections 13 and 14 in the hollow chamber. This results in small, flat, funnel-shaped cavities 25, which are suitable for taking up the different liquids in the cavity with the rotation of the hollow chamber disk, thus acting against horizontal separation of the liquids. FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate two immiscible liquids 26 and 27 which are taken up by the hollow chamber, one of which is colored, or both are colored differently. Figure 4 shows in particular that something of the same liquid can flow into adjacent cavities 25.

Because of the generally different densities of the liquids 26 and 27 received between the wall sections 13 and 14, they will separate when the hood 9 is at a standstill and is in the position of use and thus vertically aligned. This in that the lighter liquid is arranged in the upper region of the hollow chamber 15, the heavier liquid in the lower region of the hollow chamber. The flow diagrams will only appear when the hood 9 is rotated slowly. In order to approximately illustrate the mode of operation of the funnel-shaped cavities 25, a representation has been chosen in FIG. 3 which does not refer to the vertical position of use of the hood 9, but rather to a horizontal position of the hood 9, with the wall section 14 thus pointing upwards is directed. 3 shows a liquid kigur in accordance with FIG. 3, the lighter liquid being accumulated primarily in the central region of the hood and the heavier liquid being accumulated primarily in the outer region of the hood. The embodiment according to FIG. 11 differs from that according to FIG. 2 in that the hood 9 is not constructed in two parts, but in three parts, provided that the film 22 inserted into the cavity 15 is disregarded. Thus, the wall parts 11 and 12, which are essentially formed by the wall sections 13 and 14, are welded to one another at the radially outer edge, this structural unit 34 being inserted radially on the outside into a radially outer, slightly shaped hood part 33 and being connected to it, for example by welding. The inner hood part 34 can thus be prefabricated as a structural unit and thus takes up the film 22 and the liquids 26, 27 in the cavity, so that it is only necessary to complete the hood 9 to connect the inner hood part 34 to the outer hood part 33. The embodiment according to FIG. 11 also differs from that according to FIG. 2 in that instead of the circular guide rail 19 there is provided one with a rectangular cross section, which engages in the complementarily designed running surface of the drive disk 6 driven by the motor. This ensures that the hood is guided axially.

Claims

Patent claims

1. Fantasy lamp with a narrow and translucent liquid containing at least two immiscible liquids (26, 27)

Hollow chamber (15), the rear side of which can be illuminated, the hollow chamber (15) having wall sections (13, 14) arranged at a short distance from one another, between which a film (22) is arranged, the hollow chamber (15) being essentially at vertical alignment of the wall sections (13, 14) about an essentially horizontal axis (10) and at least one of the liquids is colored, characterized in that the wall sections (13, 14) are curved and rectified and the film (22) is inserted into the hollow chamber (15), the film (22) being flat between the wall sections (13, 14) before being inserted.

2. Lamp according to claim 1, characterized in that the hollow chamber (15) or the wall parts forming this (11, 12) and / or the film (22) consist of plastic.

3. Luminaire according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the distance between the two wall sections (13, 14) is 0.5 to 2.0 mm.

4. Lamp according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the wall sections (13, 14) of the hollow chamber (15) are designed as spherical shells.

5. Lamp according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the rear wall section (13) of the hollow chamber (15) is made of a white-translucent plastic, in particular of such a plastic that allows a lot of light to pass through.

6. Lamp according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the front wall section (14) is crystal clear.

7. Lamp according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the rear and the front wall section (13, 14) are made of the same type of plastic.

8. Luminaire according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that one (14) of the wall sections (13, 14) with a circumferential, spacing edge (16), such that when the two wall sections (13, 14) are joined together the desired distance inside the hollow chamber (15) results.

9. Lamp according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the film (22) is circular before insertion between the wall sections (13, 14).

10. Light according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the diameter of the inserted film (22) is slightly less than the inner diameter of the hollow chamber (15).

11. Luminaire according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that funnel-shaped cavities (25) are formed between the film (22) and the wall sections (13, 14) of the hollow chamber (15), which towards the center of the hollow chamber (15th ) rejuvenate.

12. Luminaire according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the wall sections (13, 14) are glued or welded together.

13. Luminaire according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the hollow chamber (15) by means of a drive (4), in particular an electric drive, is rotatable.

14. Luminaire according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the hollow chamber (15) forms part of a structural unit which is designed in the manner of a hood (9).

15. Luminaire according to claim 14, characterized in that within the hood (9) the illuminant (8) and / or the drive (4) is arranged.

16. Illuminant according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that a chassis (1) serves to receive the hood (9).

17. Lamp according to claim 16, characterized in that the

Chassis (1) receives an electric motor with gear (4) engages mental element (19, 28, 31) which is connected to the hood (9).

8. Luminaire according to claim 7, characterized in that the output element is designed as a wheel, roller, gear or the like and the complementary element as a rail (19), curved rack (31), recess (28) in the hood or the like.

9. Lamp according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the hood (9) is rotationally symmetrical.

10. Luminaire according to claim 9, characterized in that the rotationally symmetrical hood (9) has an outer, substantially axial edge (18) which is provided with the peripheral complementary element (19, 28, 31).

11. Luminaire according to one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that the hood (9) in the region of the radially outer edge (18) has a circumferential bulge (17) directed away from the chassis (1) and which has the output element (6 ) of the drive (4).

12. Luminaire according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the wall sections (13, 14) are curved and rectified and a film (22) is inserted into the hollow chamber (15), the film (22) in front of the Insert between the wall sections (13, 14) is flat.

13. Luminaire according to claim 12, characterized in that the wall sections (13, 14) of the hollow chamber (15) are designed as spherical shells.

14. Luminaire according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the film (22) is circular before insertion between the wall sections (13, 14).

15. Luminaire according to one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that between the film (22) and the wall sections

(13, 14) of the hollow chamber (15) funnel-shaped cavities (25) are formed, which taper towards the center of the hollow chamber (15).

16. Luminaire according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the hood (9) has a radially outer hood part (33) and a radially inner hood part (34), the inner hood part (34) essentially by the two wall sections (13, 14) is formed.

17. Luminaire according to claim 16, characterized in that the inner hood part (34) is a prefabricated, filled with the liquids (26, 27) and / or provided with the film (22) with which the outer hood part (33) connected, in particular welded or glued.